Guilty as Charged
by MissMaegan
Summary: Lila has arrived in Sherwood Forest, running from a dark shady past, only to be thrust into more danger as a part of Robin's gang. With Gisborne taking a...strange interest in her, while realizing she might have feelings for Allen, what's a girl to do?
1. Chapter 1

Alright, this is my first fanfic, and I hope you all enjoy! This story is set in Season 3, but Djac and Will didn't stay in the Holy Land. Also, Isabella and Prince John aren't part of the picture right now. Marian has already died.

I don't own anything except for Lila, my new character.

Lila ran through the forest, her dark chestnut brown hair whipping behind her like a flag. The scarlet dress she wore snagged on thorny branches and caused her to stumble. She staggered back to her bare feet, terror making her shake uncontrollably.

Behind her, heavy leather boots thudded along the broken path Lila had made. They drew closer, and to Lila's frightened ears, the bootsteps and clanging of metal swords were deafening.

She ran again, thin twigs and branches whipping her pale, soft skin. Angry red streaks crisscrossed across her face, forearms, and legs. The path below her flew by as she fled, but still the soldiers chasing her eventually caught up.

"I see her!" a deep voice called out. Lila yelped as a soldier broke through the branches behind her, a group of black armor-clad soldiers closely behind him. Each had the feared yellow and black family crest of Guy of Gisborne adorned on their breastplate and shield.

"Here, little girl," the head soldier snarled, advancing towards her with his sword unsheathed. "This won't hurt too badly."

Lila screamed and raced down the path again. Her only advantage was that she was smaller than the soldiers and able to move quicker through the narrow paths. Unfortunately, she was barefoot, less strong, and her speed was hampered by the torn, soggy dress that was wrapped around her ankles.

Lila knew she was running in vain. She'd seen these men slay all of her friends and even kind old Mother Katherine without a second glance. They would catch up to her in no time at all and kill her. She had no cha—

"Be still and shut up," a voice hissed. Strong arms came from nowhere and wrapped around her, drawing her back into the forest. Lila's eyes went wide with shock and she tried to call out. A hand clamped down over her mouth. The soldiers searching for her went past and disappeared through the trees and shrubs, still calling out threats and taunts.

A minute passed, and Lila stood in frozen terror. She didn't know who had helped her escape, or why, and she didn't know what would happen if she tried to struggle out of the mysterious man's grip.

"Don't know when to be quiet, do you?" The man sighed, finally pushing Lila out of his grasp. "You _want _to end up on the wrong side of Gisborne's mens' balde?"

Lila turned and saw a good looking young man frowning angrily at her. He wore brown trousers and a loose white shirt. There was a wooden bow over his shoulder. "I'm sorry…" Lila sputtered, pushing a clump of matted brown hair out of her eyes. "Who are you?"

"Who am _I_? I think I should be asking _you_ that question," the man said, leaning against a tree. "Considering you're in my forest."

Lila frowned in confusion. "Your forest?" she asked in confusion. Then it hit her. "Wait, if this is your forest, then you must be Robin Hood!" Her gaze darted to the wooden tag around the man's neck. She knew from village gossip that it was the symbol of the outlaws. She'd seen little boys at the orphanage play Sherriff and Robin Hood with wooden swords and fake carved tags that mimicked the one hanging around this man's throat.

Robin smiled amusedly, and leaned off the tree. Behind him, the brush rustled as more outlaws quickly emerged. A blonde girl, a man with a red bushy beard, a very tall, big man, two thin, athletically built men, one with dark hair and one blonder, and a shorter girl with Eastern looking features all stood behind Robin, weapons at the ready. Some held swords, one had an axe, one had a knife, and one had a big staff. Lila couldn't tell if they looked friendly or dangerous.

"Well?" Lila asked, becoming tense again as the outlaws surrounded her. She knew Hood was supposed to be a good guy, but if this wasn't Hood's gang, then she might still be in danger. "Are you Hood or not?"

He smiled boyishly again, as did the rest of the gang. He spread his arms wide. "What can I say?" he asked, as the blonde girl giggled and the man with the red beard grinned. "Guilty as charged."


	2. Chapter 2

Lila relaxed, her shoulders slumping with relief. "Thank God," she whispered, looking towards the clouds. A small smile spread across her red beestung lips. "I'm safe."

"So now you know who I am," Robin said, crossing his arms in front of him. "Now I want to know who _you _are, and why Gisborne's goons were after you. They weren't just terrorizing a village like they usually do. They were after you for something important, weren't they?" His eyebrows rose expectantly.

"Well," Lila began cautiously, "My name is Lila. I'm from Helrose Abbey…I live there."

Robin grinned. "_You're_ a nun?" Laughs came from the outlaws.

The wiry, blonde outlaw looked at Lila skeptically, but amusedly. "You sure don't look like a nun." His light blue eyes scanned Lila from her dark hair that curled past her shoulders, to the risqué scarlet dress that clung a little too tightly to her curves and plunged a little too low in the neckline. Lila looked down at the dirt path in embarrassment.

"Mother Katherine wanted to get me out alive…she thought if she disguised me enough I'd get away."

"Katherine? The Mother Superior of Helrose?" A voice asked, and the group parted to reveal a black man with a wooden cross hanging from his tunic. "I knew her well. Did she get out?"

Lila's green eyes welled with tears. "No," she gulped, trying not to sob. "T-they killed her. I couldn't j-just leave her there…I stopped to try and help her and that's when they saw me. "

Robin stepped forward and put his arm around Lila's shoulders. "It's alright. You're safe now. Gisborne can't touch you here." Robin released her and smiled. "But if you could tell me what Gisborne was looking for, it would be a lot of help."

"I…I don't know." Lila stammered, lying through her pearly teeth. She knew exactly what Gisborne and the Sheriff had been looking for, and as far as she was concerned, they _weren't _going to find anything. She hoped her stutter seemed like it came from fear instead of from lying.

"Don't sweat it." Robin said good naturedly. "But I guess I should tell you the names of the gang. I'm Robin, which you already knew. This is Tuck. The two women are Kate and Djac. The blonde guy over there is Allan, and the dark haired one is Will. The big one is Little John, and the goofy looking guy right here is Much."

"Hey!" Much protested, but was ignored.

"So do you know of any family you have that we can take you to, where you'll be safe?" Robin asked. "Maybe someone in Kingsley or Locksley?"

"_No_." Lila said firmly. "I have no family. They were all killed a few years ago. And all my friends were slaughtered at Helrose."

"Well that's a problem, then." Robin said dryly. "We can't exactly abandon you in the forest, can we now?"

"Let her stay in the gang." Much piped up. All heads turned to him.

"What?" Much asked defensively. "She was at an abbey! They learn all sorts of things there, don't they? Helpful things? Like healing…and, um, cooking? Maybe?" His eyes lit up like a child's that was about to be told he no longer had to do his chores.

"I see what this is." Allan laughed, smacking Much on the back. "Much wants an actual _woman _in the gang so he doesn't have to do all the cooking 'round here by his lonesome."

"_Hey!"_ Both of the gang's women snapped. "What about _us_?"

"Well, you two are women, but you ain't _really_ women." Allan said pathetically, trying to cover up his mistake. "I mean, you _act_ like men."

"_Hey_!" Djac and Kate protested again.

"Wait, I mean you fight like men. Not to say that women can't fight but –"

"Allan!" Will interrupted, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Just shut up before all these women beat you up."

The gang laughed, and even Lila cracked a smile.

"So what do you say?" Much asked hopefully. "Will you join? Cook a little?"

"I'm not sure…" Lila said, thinking. "Isn't it kind of…dangerous, in Robin Hood's gang?" After her past, the last thing she wanted was to get in any more danger.

"Honey, all of England's dangerous right now." Allan laughed.

"Damn right." Robin agreed. "That's why we do what we do."

"Can you even fight?" Kate asked. She looked at Lila the way a princess would look at a servant. Lila couldn't help but get the impression that the blonde girl had taken a quick dislike to her.

"No, but I'd be willing to learn." Lila supplied.

"I'll teach –

"I'll teach her." Robin and Allan said at the same time. The gang laughed, but Kate folded her arms and rolled her eyes.

"Seems like you won't run out of tutors." Djac smiled.

"And…um, I'm good with herbs." Lila added. "I can make potions…poisons and healing poultices, if that helps any."

"We already have a healer." Kate snapped, gesturing to Djac.

Djac waved the matter off with her hand. "Who can have too many healers?" she asked. "Besides, Lila will probably be familiar with English plants. I only have knowledge of Saracen plants." She grinned. "I vote her in. We need more girls in this gang."

"I'll say." Allan grumbled.

"So what do you say, Lila?" Robin asked, taking control. "Want in the gang? Cook a little, clean a little, hunt a little, fight a little?"

Lila looked around. She knew if she declined his offer she'd be completely alone, with no family or friends. But then again, saying yes might lead to her secret spilling. She chewed on her lip as she thought for a few seconds.

"Alright."


End file.
